Electric switch



F. T. WHEELER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. l APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1919.

INVENTOR Patented Mar. 16,1920.

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'1. WHEELER, 0F PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO TRUMBULL ELECTRIC MFG. '80., 0F PLAIITVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NEGTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 26, 1919. Serial No. 299,840.

To (aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Plainville, Connecticut. have-invent-ed a new and useful Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of knifeswitches, the object which I have had in mind, being to provide a simple and substantial form of connection between the switch blades and the cross bar connecting the same.

The invention, stated briefly, consists in. the forming of the switch blades with integral loops produced by partially severing portions of the metal of the switch blades and then bending such portions into loops, these loops serving as anchorages for attaching studs which are secured to the cross bar. 4

Other features of the invention and various details of construction will appear more fully as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated the invention embodied in sevthe hinge posts eral dilferent forms, but would have it understood that other modifications changes may be made without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

In said drawing:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a switch embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2, is an end view of the assembled switch blades and cross bar, the cross bar being shown as broken away at one end.

Fig. 2 is a broken perspective view switch blade.

Fig. 3, is a broken perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 4,,is a cross sectional view of the same taken substantially on the plane of. the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar view fication.

7 designates the switch blades pivoted on 8 and cooperating with the relatively stationery contacts 9. I

10 designates the cross bar connecting the switch blades in parallelism and serving as a means by which the blades are operated.

In the first form of the invention shown, the attaching loops are formed by slitting the metal of the blades longitudinally at 11 ofa of a slight modiand and then bending the partially severed strips 1 and 13 thus provided to opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the blade, thus providing a transverse bore or passage M through the blade to receive a securing element. This element is shown in the form of a rivet or stud 15 passed upward through the bore in the blade and having its upper.

end headed over as indicated at 16 to secure the cross bar to the blade.

In the second form of the invention illustrated, a longitudinal strip 17 of the metalof the blade is partially severed at a point intermediate the edges of the blade and bent out to one side in the form of a loop to receive the fastening 15 which is shown as a r1vet similar to the one described, except that 1n this case the head of the rivet is cut oil at one side as indicated at 18 to bear flat against the side of the switch blade.

The switch blade may be set into the lower face of the cross bar, as indicated at 19, to provide a more firm joint between the parts. A special point of my invention is that in providing this improved connection between the switch blade and cross bar, the conductivity of the blade is not reduced, inasmuch as the cross section of the blade remains substantially the same, the attach ing loops formed in the blade acting as bypaths, carrying their share of the current.

My construction also provides a switch blade carrying integral attaching means and which may be formed from ordinary strip stock and with no waste of metal.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slight modification in which the securing stud is in the form of a screw 20 passed upward through v the loop in the side of the switch blade and 21 on top of the cross thereof partially severed from the body of said blade and formed into a laterally extendingtloop, and an attaching device engaged in said integral loop.

3. In an electric switch, a switch blade having a strip of the metal thereof partially severed from the body of the blade and bent to one side into the form of a loop, an operating member and a securing stud engaged in said loop and fastened to the operating member.

4; In an electric switch, the combination of pivoted switch blades having portions of the metal thereof partially severed on longitudinal lines from the body of the blades and deflected laterally of the blade into the form of attaching loops, a cross bar seated on the switch blades, and securing studs passed through said loops and fastened to the cross bar.

F. Ti WHEELER. 

